Tuft pile fabric loom



July 7, 1931 E. W. STONE TUFT PILE FABRIC LOOM l, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct.

BY l

ATTORNEY July 7, 1931. E. w. STONE TUFT PILE FABRIC LOOM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OCl.. l, 1950 lATTORNEY Patented July 7, .1931

UNiTED STATES PATENT GFC EDWIN W. STONE, OF LONGMEADOW, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T'O BIG-ELOW- SANFORD CARPET CO., INC., OF THOMPSONVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF nAssAcHUsErrs Application led October 1, 1930.

This invention relates to tuft pile fabric looms, and more particularly to novel mechanism for presenting successive yarn tube frames to the fabric being woven.

In Weaving tufted pile fabrics, such for example, as Axminster rugs and carpets, a series of yarn tube frames are commonly eniployed and each tube frame vcarries a spool or spools having the tuft forming yarns wound thereon in accordance with a predetermined pattern. These tube frames are carried by transporting chains in a well known manner7 and as each tube frame reaches a predetermined position above the fabric being woven, it is engaged by transferring means or carriers and presented to the fabric.

The laying` of a row of tuft forming yarn in the shed in position to be secured to the fabric by a weft shot is facilitated to a large degree by shifting the tube frame bodily while adjacent the warp and by tilting the same to different inclinations relative to the warp. This manipulation of the tube frame has been secured heretofore through the employment of link connections and cam operated levers.

An important feature of the present invention resides in guide-ways constructed and arranged to accurately guide the manipulation of the tube frame during the pile presenting operations.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the construction in which the movement of the tube frame bodily along the warp is controlled by one form of fixed guide and the tilting movement of the tube frame adjacent the fabric is controlled by a separate and dierently shaped guide, with the result that the movements imparted to the tube frame are accurately determined by the shape of the guides.

lhrough the employment of the fixed guides of the present invention to impart the `1 desired composite movements to a tube frame, the cam mechanism for actuating the tube frame carriers may be more simple in construction than heretofore, since in the present construction it is merely necessary to provide power actuated means for shifting rurfr PILE FABRIC LooM Serial N0. 485,613.

the tube frame transferring carriers relative to the fixed guides. A

The various features of the present invention and novel combinations of parts will be further understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. l is a side elevation with parts in section of portion of a pile fabric loom embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of one sideof a loom provided with the tube frame transferring mechanism of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the tube frame tilting mechanism; and

Fig. l is a perspective view of a lever to be described and its cooperative guide-ways.

Pile fabric looms employing a series of tube frames for presenting tuft pile yarns to the fabric in accordance with a predetermined pattern are well known in the weaving art, so that only the portions of the loom with which the features of the present invention are associated have been illustrated in the drawings.

The loom illustrated may have the usual frame l for supporting the various operatin g parts, and at the front of the `loom is provided the breast beam 2 over which the woven pile fabric travels as it is advanced towards the front of the loom, and about the usual spike or take-up roll not shown. Back of the breast beam 2 is provided the lay 3 having the reed Ll, and the lay is supported by the swords 5 for movement towards and from the front of the loom in a well known manner.

The side frames 1 of the loom arepro- L vided with the upwardly extending columns 6 adapted to support the harness frames 7 and the tube frame transferring mechanism to be described. The harness mechanism may be operated in a well known manner to shift the warp strands a.

The tube frames 8 may have the usual or any preferred construction, and each tube frame comprises a main bar to which the row of yarn receiving tubes 9 are secured Ofi and each tube frame is adapted to rotatably support one or more yarn supply spools 10. The tube frames are advanced to a position to be transferred to the fabric by the conveyor chains 117 which pass around the sprockets 12 mounted upon the shaft 13 that is rotatably supported by the uprights 6.

As each tube frame is advanced by the chains 11 to a position directly below the shaft, it is engaged by transfer mechanism and lowered to a position adjacent the weaving point and as the tube frame approaches the pile inserting position it isdesirable to tilt the same to the different positions in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, as this tilting movement facilitates the bending of the pile yarns Z) into position to be secured to the fabric by a shot of weft carried by the needle 111.

The tube frames` are carried to and from the weaving point in the construction shown by arms 15 disposed at the opposite sides of the loom and each arm 15 is pivotally secured at 16 to a supporting bracket 17 Which preferably has the bell-crank censtruction shown. The brackets 17 are supported for rocking movement by the shaft 18 which in turn is swingingly supported by the links 19 that are suspended from the shaft 20 supported by the uprights 6. Each bell-crank bracket 17 has a downwardly eX- tending arm 21 adapted to support a lerer 22 for rocking movement upon the pin 23. Each arm 15. is provided at one end with a box-like carrier 24adapted to embrace and support an end of a tube frame 8. The arrangement is such that the carriers 24 are moved into and out of engagement with the ends of a tube frame by rocking the arms 15 about their pivots 16, this being accomplished by rocking the levers 22 the upper ends of which operatively engage these arms.

The arrangement just described is such that the arms 15 may be lowered by rocking the brackets 17 about the shaft 13 and these arms may be moved bodily in the direction of their length by rocking the links 19 from the full line to the dotted line position of Fig. 1. The carriers 24 are pivotally secured to the arms 15 at 25 so that a tube frame may be tilted about the pivots 25 while supported by the arms 15 but the tilting movement of the carriers 24 in a downward direction is limited by the cooperating stops 26.

The desired movement of a tube frame 3 adjacent the weaving point is secured in accordance with the present invention by providing at each side of the loom a guiding bracket 27 which may be rigidly secured to the upright 6 in the proper position of adjustment by the bolts 28, and each bracket 27 is formed with a curved guiding slot or guide-way 29. In the construction shownV the horizontally extending arm of each pivoted bracket 17 is provided at its outer end with a roller 30 which is attached thereto by a pin 31. The arrangement is such that Aas the brackets 17 are rocked to move a tube frame towards or from the fabric the rollers 30 will travel in the slots or guide-ways 29 to shift the tube frame lengthwise the warps.

As above stated it is desirable also to impart a tilting movement to a tube frame while adj acent the wear/ing point, and this is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by providing at each side of the loom frame a second guide-way comprising, in the construction shown, the guide slot 32 formed by providing the plates' 33 with the curved ribs 34, and the plates 33 are secured to the uprights 6 by the bolts 35. The tilting movement of the tube frame carriers 2d is controlled by a lever 36 at each side of the loom and which are pivoted between their ends upon the pins 31. Each lever 36 is provided at its upper end with a roller 37 adapted to Jtravel in the slot or guide-way 32 and the lower end of this lever is connected by the link 38 to a carrier 24. Each link o8 preferably is provided at its outer end with a forked head 39 adjustably secured thereto and the prongs of the head 39 are iivotally secured to a sleeve 40 adapted to receive a pin 1-1 projecting from the carrier 24. This pivoted construction is desirable to accommodate the rocking movement of the arms 15 about the pivots 16.

1t is desirable to tilt the tube frame 3 to a substantial degree as it moves 'towards the fabric and to aless degree as itis withdrawn there-from7 since this tilting in, vement helps to bend the pile yarns b cent the tuft yarn positioning plate 12 as will be apparent from Fig. 1. Each guineway 32 therefore, is preferably given the construction bestV shown in Fig. 3 in which the rocking element #13 or switch member is pivotally mounted at le in the guide-way 32 and is urged to the dotted line position of F ig. 3 by the spring 45. The arrangement such that when the bell-crank brackets 17 are rocked downwardly the pin 37 of each lever 36 will move downwardly along the inclined path 46 and as the brackets 17 are rocked upwardly the pins 37 will move upwardly along the paths e7 as indicated bv the arrows. The adjusting bolt L18 may be provided to facilitate a slight adjustment of the plate 33.

Rocking movement of the brackets 17 in timed relation with the other parts of the loom is secured by providing a cam 4:9 driven from a going part of the loom and adapted to rock the lever .50 having the roller 517 and the lever 50 is connected to the nvoted bracket 17 by the link 52.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when the bell-crank levers 17 are rocked by mechanism for tilting the tube frame whileV supported by the arms including a curved guide-way and means cooperating therewith and connected to the tube frame.

2. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the Weaving point and adapted to support the frame for tilting movement relative to the arms, and mechanism for tilting the tube frames while supported by the arms, including a guideway having a switch member, and cooperating means connected to the tube frame and movable along the guide-way to tilt said tube frame.

3. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the weaving point and adapted to support the frame for tilting movement relative to the arms, and mechanism for tilting the tube frame while supported by the arms, including a fixed guideway having a movable switch member and means cooperating therewith ,and connected to the tube frame, and power means for shifting said cooperating means to tilt the tube frame.

4. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the weaving point and adapted to support the frame for tilting movement relative to the arms, and mechanism for tilting the tube frame while supported by the arms, including a curved guide-way, means cooperating therewith and adapted to be moved by said arms along the curved guide-way, and an operating connection between said cooperating means and tube frame to tilt the latter as said means is varied in position by the curve of the guide-way.

5. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the weaving point and adapted to support the frame for tilting movement relative to the arms, and mechanism for tilting the tube frame while supported by the arms including a curved guide-way and a lever connected to the tube frame and having a part movable along the guide way to cause the lever to tilt the tube. frame as the lever is turned by the curved guideway. v

6. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series -of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the weaving point and adapted tovsupport the frame for tilting movement relative to the arms, and mechanism for imparting one character of tilting movement to the tube frame as it is advanced towards the weaving point and a dissimilar tilting movement to the tube frame as it is removed therefrom, including a fixed guideway having two differently shaped paths and means connected to the tube frame and adapted to follow said paths.

7. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the weaving point and adapted to support the frame for tilting movement relative to the arms, and mechanism for tilting the tube frame while supported by said arms including a fixed guideway, a rocking lever engaging said guideway and connected tothe tube frame and to one of said arms and adapted to be moved by the arm along the guide-way.

8. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the weavingpoint and supported for rocking and lengthwise movement, a fixed guide-way, and means cooperating therewith and connected to said arms to move the arms in the direction of their length as they are rocked to present a tube frame to the fabric.

9. vIn a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the weaving point and supported for rocking and lengthwise movement, a guide-way supported adjacent the path of each swinging arm, means adapted to follow said guide-ways and connected 'to said arms to shift the arm lengthwise as they are moved towards the weaving point, a lever connected to the tube frame for rocking the tube frame, and a second guideway engaged by the lever to rock the tube frame as the' latter moves towards the weaving point.

10. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the weaving point, a fixed guide-way supported adjacent the path of each arm, means upon each arm and adapted to follow a guide-way to guide the travel of the arm, and means for shifting the arms to present a tube frame to the fabric.

11. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the Weaving point, a lixed guide-Way supported adjacent the path of each arm, means uponeacharm adapted to follow a guide-Way to guide the travel of the arm, means for shiftinor the arms to present a tube frame to the iabric, and means for tilting the tube frame relative to said arms including a separate guide-Way provided With cooperating means connected to the tube frame.

l2. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying a tube frame to the Weaving point, a curved guide-way supported adjacent the path of each arm, means upon each arm adapted to follow the adjacent guide-way to guide the arm movement, means for tilting the tube frame relative to the supporting arms including an auxiliary guide-Way provided With cooperating means connected to the tube frame, and means for shifting said arms to thereby advance the tube frame towards the fabric and tilt the tube frame to different positions. p

13. In a tuft pile fabric loom, the combination of shed forming mechanism, a series of yarn tube frames, spaced arms for carrying the tube frames to the Weaving point, a lever connected to the tube frame for tilting it as it moves towards and from the Weaving point and a tWotrack guide engaged by the lever to tilt the tube frame as it moves towards the Weaving point and to again tilt the tube frame to a less degree as it is Withdrawn therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWIN W. STONE. 

